Cornealious Michael Anderson III, Freed from Prison, Reunites with Family

Here is what a kid's face looks like moments after realizing his dad is home from prison (Mike Anderson at left).

Yesterday morning, Cornealious Michael Anderson III woke up in a prison cell at the Southeast Correctional Center in Charleston, Missouri. He said corrections officers threw him in "the hole," or solitary confinement -- he wasn't sure why. He didn't get breakfast.

Fast-forward several hours, and Anderson was at home with his wife and young children in Webster Groves, eating a meal of fried chicken and steak with all the trimmings. He struggled to remember how to use his smartphone.

Anderson was convicted of armed robbery in 2000, but he never served his thirteen-year sentence: A clerical error made by someone in the Missouri criminal-justice system prevented a warrant from ever being issued for Anderson. In the ensuing years he turned his life around, marrying his wife, LaQonna, having children and starting a contracting business. During that time he didn't commit any other crimes.

In July 2013, when the Missouri Department of Corrections was preparing to release Anderson, someone -- it has never been clear who -- realized the state never had him. A team of U.S. Marshals arrested Anderson at his home and upended the family's lives.

"You're a good man, and you're a changed man, and that makes a huge difference in my decision today.... You're not the man you were fourteen years ago," said Brown. "I believe that continuing to [incarcerate you] serves no purpose" -- here there were gasps and tears from the Anderson family -- "I think it would be a waste of taxpayer dollars. I think it would unnecessarily punish an obviously rehabilitated man."

Brown then declared Anderson would receive credit for time served starting on the day he was released on bond to the day he was arrested in 2013, thereby satisfying his full sentence. Brown's alternative was to credit Anderson from the day in 2002 when his final appeal failed -- a credit of only 11.5 years that would have left Anderson's fate in the hands of a parole board.

"I don't like uncertainty," the judge told the courtroom. "As such your sentence will be fully served and satisfied today.... Go home to your family, Mr. Anderson, and continue to be a good father, a good husband, a good taxpayer.... Good luck to you."

RFT

The Andersons leave the courtroom.

The Anderson family broke into clapping and tears, and Mike disappeared in the back room of the courtroom only to emerge minutes later with a huge cardboard box of his belongings. He took LaQonna's hand, and the whole family walked out of the courthouse and into a waiting SUV, where they were mobbed by reporters and camera crews, before speeding off toward St. Louis.

Hours later, Anderson hid in his kitchen in Webster Groves waiting for his two young sons to come around the corner. They'd been pulled from school in the middle of the day, but they didn't know why -- although the mob of reporters on their front lawn might have been a clue.

Jessica Lussenhop

"Daddy!" yelled seven-year-old Jorden after a moment of incredulity.

Twelve-year-old JerQon just smiled silently and hugged Mike. Nine months after their father was whisked away from this very same kitchen in handcuffs, the boys, their youngest sister, Nevaeh, and their mom have him back.

"It feels good to have him home," said LaQonna, "the kids calling his name instead of mine. It just -- it feels really good."

Initially, Jorden seemed more preoccupied with blowing up balloons, JerQon was shy, and Nevaeh would only comment on how she didn't like how long her dad's hair was, but as the commotion died down, a sense of normalcy seemed to descend upon the house.

"I was treated with love from those guys," said Anderson of his cellmates and even the corrections officers he met behind bars. "As soon as they saw me on TV they flocked to me."

He said that even on the ride to the courthouse that morning, the two officers who drove him expressed anger that -- while they were making $29,000 a year -- Anderson's incarceration would have cost an estimated $20,000 a year.

"'There is no such thing as rehabilitation,'" Anderson quoted the officers saying, as he stood over a plate of fried chicken.

Jessica Lussenhop

On Monday evening, the whole family boarded a plane -- along with a freshly shorn Mike Anderson -- for New York City, to do a series of network television appearances starting with the Today Show. It'll be their first time in the Big Apple.

"We can get out and tell people how grateful we are for their support," said LaQonna before their departure.

Anderson says he's looking forward to getting back to his business, taking the kids out on their go-karts and fishing.

"The only thing I can say is, it was bigger than me," said Mike. "Prayer still works. That's the only thing I get from this, really."

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The US still has an incarceration rate 5-10 times that of most other nations. We are 5% of the world's population, and have 25% of the world's prison population. While, there is a continuum, this case really highlights how inappropriate the prison system can be.

It is frustrating when we hear about clear cut dangerous persons being released unreformed. Especially when we know that the money to address serious criminal and psychopathic problems is being squandered on cases like Mike's. One thing that most people are not considering, is how much of a long game the criminal system is. Most criminals have one thing in common - one day they will be released. If your daughter is raped, 20 years from now, when that rapist is standing in line at the grocery store, would you rather know they had been served justice, or would you rather they be reformed? Mike's story so clearly highlights that despite all good intentions, the system pushed for punitive action rather than correction, and took 10 months to do it. While ultimately the system corrected itself in this case, it is certainly an outlier.

I fell I did the right thing by signing the petition. I think this man deserves to be free. I think speaking engagements will be offered to him. I wish him the best and hope for him a happy life with his family. They deserve it.

@BarbaraCoogan I agree with you that his family deserves it. But why do you think Anderson deserves to be happy and free when he CHOSE to wait for 13 years to be picked up by authorities and CHOSE to create a family KNOWING what he should have really been doing? WHY?

I really do wish that the Judge would have sentenced him to community service. He seems like a great role model on turning your life around. Seems he could have given some speeches to others going through tough times, or even at risk youth.

If you have followed the story, you would see he is an upstanding citizen. It isn't like he ran from serving his time for 13 years. He has reformed himself 100X more than any prison would have. If it were you, wouldn't you feel like living your life for 13 years and then having to abandon your family would be unfair? Especially after working and providing for your family all that time?

In 2000, Cornelias Michael Anderson III CHOSE to commit a crime. He, according to what HE SAID his lawyer TOLD HIM, CHOSE to sit around for 13 years waiting to be picked up by authorities and serve his prison sentence which was issued by the court. So, of course during these 13 years he's going to sure as hell change his life around and become the most upstanding citizen he could possibly become. OF COURSE HE TURNED HIS LIFE AROUND. Because he KNEW HE WAS SUPPOSE TO SERVE A LONG, LONG TIME IN PRISON. And yes, there were SEVERE CLERICAL ERRORS made by the state. But those severe clerical errors doesn't mean he shouldn't serve the sentence he was given by the court. You follow? In the end, however it will come, karma will come knocking on his door. It's real simple folks, you do the CRIME, you do the TIME. And he absolutely DID NOT DO THE TIME. Life is all about CHOICES. He CHOSE to make the wrong one back in 2000. And he never did the time. It's real simple, folks, it's real simple. And he CHOSE to have four kids and a wife in the past 13 years KNOWING HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN PRISON. Now, he's affecting THEIR LIVES. You see my point? He CHOSE to commit a crime, CHOSE NOT TO TURN HIMSELF when he knew damn well that THAT was the RIGHT THING TO DO. LIFE IS ABOUT MAKING CHOICES. And he keeps making the WRONG ONES.

In 2000, Cornelias Michael Anderson III CHOSE to commit a crime. He, according to what HE SAID his lawyer TOLD HIM, CHOSE to sit around for 13 years waiting to be picked up by authorities and serve his prison sentence which was issued by the court. So, of course during these 13 years he's going to sure as hell change his life around and become the most upstanding citizen he could possibly become. OF COURSE HE TURNED HIS LIFE AROUND. Because he KNEW HE WAS SUPPOSE TO SERVE A LONG, LONG TIME IN PRISON. And yes, there were SEVERE CLERICAL ERRORS made by the state. But those severe clerical errors doesn't mean he shouldn't serve the sentence he was given by the court. You follow? In the end, however it will come, karma will come knocking on his door. It's real simple folks, you do the CRIME, you do the TIME. And he absolutely DID NOT DO THE TIME. Life is all about CHOICES. He CHOSE to make the wrong one back in 2000. And he never did the time. It's real simple, folks, it's real simple. And he CHOSE to have four kids and a wife in the past 13 years KNOWING HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN PRISON. Now, he's affecting THEIR LIVES. You see my point? He CHOSE to commit a crime, CHOSE NOT TO TURN HIMSELF when he knew damn well that THAT was the RIGHT THING TO DO. LIFE IS ABOUT MAKING CHOICES. And he keeps making the WRONG ONES. Let me repeat, Cornelias Michael Anderson III KNEW from the moment the court sentenced him to prison that he SHOULD HAVE SERVED HIS TIME. AND HE CHOSE NOT TO.

LOL Yeah, Webster Groves is a wonderful "hiding" spot. Sorry son, YOU'RE the joke. Don't "read" much do ya... If you did, and followed this story, maybe your "thug" comments wouldn't show your true self. But alas, they do.

THANK YOU!! When I first heard this story back in February, all I paid attention were the FACTS. Who, what, why, when, and where is ALL I need to know. Like I stated in the above comment in response to Lin Staum, Anderson sure as hell knew what he was doing the past 13 years! He CHOSE to commit a crime in 2000. He knew damn well what he was suppose to do, SERVE THE TIME. But he DID NOT. He CHOSE for the next 13 years to start a family, a family he KNEW damn well was going to be dragged in this mess one day. Unless he's truly stupid and bla-ze about the whole situation, he KNEW he was not going to get away with this for the rest of his life, at least in the life that he is currently living.

Unfortunately, there's something called KARMA that DOES exist. And more unfortunately, it will most likely fall onto his children and wife.

@miles.lindum Of course he stopped robbing banks. Not because he knows now that it's WRONG TO DO. But because he sure as hell knew he should have been spending the past 13 years behind bars. Of course he's not robbing anymore banks.

You people crack me up..Go rob a bank and hide for years and I will tell judge it was right for you todo and u were good boy ..You stayed out of trouble cause you hide very well and knew not to ever do something that may get you picked up...what a joke

And? What's your point? He still CHOSE to sit around for 13 years waiting to be picked up by authorities to SERVE HIS TIME based on his OWN WORDS. And last year they finally did.

Oh, but it was due to clerical error. So what?

Oh, but because of clerical error and this and that, and this and that and blah, blah, blah, blah. All these clerical errors made 13 years ago is actually quite IRREVELANT now. It really is.

Bottom line here again, folks: LIFE IS ABOUT MAKING CHOICES. 13 years ago Cornelias Michael Anderson III CHOSE to do the wrong thing. And DID NOT SERVE THE TIME when he KNEW he should have. He was NEVER told otherwise. He was told by his lawyer "to expect to be picked up by authorities". And he waited, until finally last year when they came knocking on his door.

So many of you commenting on this article are so, so much MISSING THE POINT in this whole case. LIFE IS ABOUT MAKING CHOICES. He knew damn well what should have happened 13 years ago.

Also, I find it interesting how these clerical errors came at the time when he should have been taken in by authorities to serve his time. I'm not trying to insinuate anything here in this point. But think about it.

I'm also curious to hear what his lawyer from back then has to say about all this.

In 2004, Anderson filed another appeal based on inadequate legal representation at his trial. The appeal stated that Anderson was not in prison and it gave his current address at the time, but the Missouri Department of Corrections apparently did not notice this. Nothing happened with the appeal and for the next seven years Anderson went on with his life. During this time, he met his wife, LaQonna, they married in 2007, he founded a company (Anderson Construction and Investment), and he led a normal life.

Incompetence of government and law enforcement should not equate to saving face by stripping a self reformed law abiding citizen of his freedom!

The facts of his case are the FACTS!!! Let it go or write your congressmen to change the law!

I wonder , too. Someone above, if I'm not mistaken, ASSUMED you were comparing the difference between robbing a bank and raping/killing someone. And to defend you, that's not what you're doing here. You're making a valid point.

Let's say he raped and killed someone. And that's the ONLY difference here. And that everything that actually followed in this case still happened. Would there still be so many blinded people living in la la land STILL feel the same way about him and view him as a fricking Saint???